Frequently Asked Questions
01
What is the Time Travelling Operating Theatre?
The Time Travelling Operating Theatre is an exploration of the history and ethics of surgery today. Through short re-enactments of three operations - from 1884, 1984 and 2014 - you will get a chance to witness the changing world of surgery from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Following the performance there will be an open discussion with a panel of clinicians, ethicists, policy-makers and historians on hand to answer questions and prompt debate.
02
Where and when?
The Time Travelling Operating Theatre will be travelling around the UK in September and October 2015 visiting London, Leeds and Edinburgh. Information about venues, dates and event times can be found on our venues page.
03
Who can attend?
The Time Travelling Operating Theatre is designed for adult audiences (18+).
04
What should I expect during the performance?
The first part of each Time Travelling Operating Theatre event consists of simulated re-enactments of three operations, each performed by qualified medical practitioners (either retired or currently practicing) using period-authentic surgical equipment. We use a silicon patient model, artificial blood and some animal tissue. For each operation we also use a series of artificial scents to evoke the different atmospheres of our three operating theatres. These are commonly used in museum displays.
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What about the discussion?
Following each of the three performances there will be an open discussion lasting around an hour, with a panel consisting of some of the clinicians you will have seen in the operating theatres alongside experts in medical ethics, history and medical policy. These discussions may be recorded for future research use with all data anonymised; please see our research page for more information.
What are the questionnaires for?
Before and after the event we will ask audiences to fill in a very short questionnaire about the event. These are anonymous and will be used to evaluate the success of the Time Travelling Operating Theatre as well as forming the basis for future research in this area. For more on this ongoing work please see our research page.